One known type of dispensing closure that has gained consumer acceptance for dispensing a variety of products is the spouted dispensing closure. Such dispensing closures, which are executed in plastic, in high volume and at relatively low cost, comprise, primarily, (1) a cap that is adapted to be secured to the neck of a container, and (2) a spout that is mounted in a cavity on the upper surface of the cap. The spout comprises an enlarged, usually cylindrical base, and a central passage extends throughout the spout. An opening is formed in the cap to allow communication with the interior of the container. Trunnions extend laterally from opposite sides of the base, and are received in sockets defined in the walls of the cavity on the cap. The trunnions and sockets enable the spout to be pivoted through a 90.degree. arc relative to the cap. The spout is usually retained in its horizontal, closed position, wherein the cylindrical base seals the opening in the cap; however, when the user wishes to discharge the contents of the container, the spout is pivoted 90.degree. to its vertical position, which places the central passage in the spout in alignment with the opening in the cap.
A representative dispensing closure, employing a pivotably mounted spout, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,111,245, granted Nov. 19, 1963, to Sidney Libit and Arthur Newby. Such patent discloses a closure comprising, principally, a base (10) that is screwed into the neck of a bottle (20), and a spout (11) that is moved, or pivoted, relative thereto. The spout is received in a cavity (25) defined on the upper surface of the cap, and the cylindrical knuckle, or base, of the spout is retained therein. A bore (57) extends through the spout, as shown in FIG. 4, and a bore (60) is formed through the cap to establish communication with the interior of the knuckle, or base, as shown in FIG. 6. Movement of the spout to its "on" or discharge position is limited by the engagement of pad (31) with an indentation in the spout 11, as shown in FIG. 3. When the spout is in its vertical position, the bores (57, 60) are aligned, and the product retained in the container can be discharged. When the spout is pivoted downwardly, the bores are misaligned and discharge is not possible, for the base of the spout blocks the bore (60) in the cap.
Other representative dispensing closures employing a pivotably mounted spout are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,114, U.S. Pat. No. 4,219,138, and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,451. These three patents, and the present application, are assigned to Polytop Corporation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,451 employs a rib (54), or lug, located on the exposed surface of the cylindrical base of the spout, to facilitate opening same. The rib is uniquely configured so that sufficient purchase is available to allow the spout to be rotated to its vertically oriented, discharge position, wherein the bore (46) of the spout is aligned with the opening (34) in the bottom wall of the cavity that receives the base of the spout. The path of travel of the spout is shown in FIG. 3 of the Wilson '451 patent. Additional ribs on the spout, and on the upper surface of the cap, impart a child resistant safety characteristic to the spouted closure, as well.
Known dispensing closures, employing pivotably mounted spouts, including those cited and discussed above, invariably require that the spout be pivoted into a vertical position before discharge can occur. Only in the vertical position is the central passage in the spout fully aligned with the opening in the cap that communicates with the interior of the container for the product to be dispensed.
The known dispensing closures employing pivotably mounted spouts are ill-designed to meet the challenge of discharging a product at an angle of less than 90.degree. to the horizontal. The angular discharge would be advantageous in discharging a cleanser under the rim of a toilet bowl, in discharging oven cleansers, in discharging lubricants, waxes, polishes, etc and in other applications where the product being discharged would tend to fall, or drip, back onto the user.